The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum is a non-governmental organization that works to advance the goal of social, economic, cultural and political rights of small scale indigenous fisher communities in Pakistan. more
PFF’s Gender Policy Document: a brief
PFF is a mass based community organization. From the very beginning of PFF’s formation in 1998, women empowerment has remained a cross cutting theme of all PFF’s activities but in order to imply the universal gender policy standards within the PFF for the purpose to strengthening the organization, PFF team has developed a gender policy document.
This document aims to support PFF’s two prongs, PFF organization and the project staff. PFF’s organization means those elected members who are serving at organization with their personal economic and political interests.
The second prong is of PFF’s project staff. In order to help the needy fisher families in their alternative livelihoods mechanisms and mobilization for their rights, PFF has been receiving projects from national and international charity and development organizations. Keeping in view the need of projects, professional staff has been inducted to run the prescribed project activities. Also at some point, the community people and organizational representatives’ services have been taken for this.
Generally, the policy document is an inference of organizational commitment and obligation to increase the representation of women in the professional categories. Since gender has and will remain a cross cutting issue, the implementation of the gender policy will require the commitment, participation and contribution of every staff member.
This document is not a complete action plan but rather an outline of the principles, objectives and an over all strategy that will guide the PFF’s work in the context of gender mainstreaming.
Every person at PFF should be aware that the PFF is strongly opposed to sexual harassment, and that such behavior is prohibited both by law and by PFF. The PFF will come into action immediately and effectively to deal with reports of sexual harassment, and will take appropriate action to prevent, to correct, and if necessary, to discipline behavior that violates this policy.
This policy applies to the PFF’s all offices in the entire Pakistan and will be disseminated to all PFF’s organizational members and project staff through hard and soft copies of the policy. Also reminders will be sent through publications (newsletters and newspapers).
Objectives
Through this document, PFF aims to promote the opportunities for men and women to obtain equal participation and human dignity, and to gender the practices within the organizations for the benefit of either sexes and the organization. This mainly supports to address the practical and strategic needs of woman within the PFF. PFF intents to do away with any unfair practice of inequality in which the participation of women is none or low in the decision making process.
Gender Vigilance Committee
The Gender Vigilance Committee (GVC) will be headed by a woman and will oversee the gender issues. The GVC will meet up each month to review the situation; however, meeting/s can be called at any time as per need.
For more details about the document and GVC contact with us.